Devoted To The Deal
by sweetpants
Summary: Takes place directly after 'Merry Little Christmas' 3X10. Cuddy makes a deal with Tritter to keep House from going to jail. Several consequences occur because of this, and create a twisted love triangle that she can't handle. triddy/huddy
1. one

**Devoted To The Deal**

_She was a girl on a wagon train  
Headed west across the plains  
The train got lost in a summer storm  
They couldn't move west and they couldn't go home  
Then she saw him ridin' through the rain  
He took charge of the wagons and he saved the train  
And she looked down and her heart was gone  
The train went west but she stayed on  
In Lonesome Dove._

_She learned the language and she learned to fight  
But she never learned how to beat the lonely nights  
In Lonesome Dove, Lonesome Dove._

_**~ Prologue ~**_

_**All of this was one hundred percent his fault. He had refused to take the deal, and dragged everyone down with him. His team's accounts had been frozen, Wilson had been forced to temporarily shut down his practice, and the board had been on her ass.**_

_**She had no choice. Her devotion to her job and her love for him had forced her to protect the dynamic of their lives. Prison and unemployment would have disrupted their twisted relationship, and cost other's their lives.**_

_**It was because of these reasons that her mind was playing tug of war with her heart. It was because of these reasons that she was currently residing in a cozy, log cabin miles into the forest. It was because of these reasons that she lay, love struck beside Detective Michael Tritter.**_

Wilson had called her. After dealing with all of House's detoxing abuse for the previous couple of weeks, he'd finally given up, and demanded her assistance. Seeing his best friend passed out in a pile of his own vomit was, apparently, too much for him. She'd shown up at the Diagnostician's apartment to find that Wilson had already left, and House lying exactly where his friend had left him. Nothing had changed. Nothing ever did.

He fought her tooth and nail the entire way from the floor to the bathroom, then from the bathroom to his dresser, and so forth. Eventually, she managed to drag him to her car and to the Police Station. He was going to accept Tritter's deal. There was simply no other option. He had reached rock bottom the second he stole Wilson's patient's Oxycodon. Rehabilitation was the only thing that could have saved him.

She had tried to ignore noticing the extra effort it took him to withdraw himself from her small car. His agony expressed itself as clear as day on his face. Had it not been for his cruel and hostile attitude, she'd of had helped him. At that point, however, she'd heard enough of his remarks. If he wanted to suffer alone, then so be it.

Waiting in the parking lot while he went to go accept Tritter's proposal was quite possibly one of the most nerve wracking moments of her life, so much hung in the balance. She thought he couldn't mess it up. He simply couldn't. For once in his miserable life, he needed to swallow his pride. The deal he was offered was more than fare, it was what he needed to dig himself out of the six foot hole he'd dug.

She had faith in him, as always. The memory of a younger, kinder Gregory House was what always fueled her hope. She attached herself to the belief that somewhere deep down beneath the harshness that was the drug addict, there was a heart. A heart that could love and feel; maybe not for her, but at least for something, something similar to the greater good.

It was because of this hope that her eyes felt pierced at the image of him stomping unevenly out of the Police Station. She couldn't hear him over the car's heater and winter's snowy night, but by the movement of his lips, she could tell that a string of expletives were leaving his mouth. As quickly as she could, Cuddy shut off her car, and chased after him. He'd stammered halfway down the block before she was able to catch up to his enraged, limping body. She only received his attention after gently placing a hand on his elbow, and willed him to turn around.

"What?" He shouted directly into her face, though not at her. He had the eyes of angry junkie, unfocused and far away. It seemed that it was becoming him. She'd seen him too many times with the same black stare.

"What? What happened?" She felt her eyes go wide. It was horrifying not being able to help him. Whatever mess he'd made, she wouldn't be able to clean up. She knew something had gone wrong. All that mattered then was knowing just how badly he'd managed to screw up this time.

"That son of a bitch took back the deal!" He was snarling now. "I told you and Wilson that he was just playing mind games, but once again, you two had to get involved! Now, I'm in even deeper shit than I was before."

It was only a second that they stood, silent in a relentless stare down. The two of them in each other's faces, and completely infuriated by the other's actions. She was right, he was wrong. There was nothing to argue, but logic had never been something they shared when speaking to one another. He stormed off down an alley while she looked up to the heavens for help in dealing with the irrational man. Minutes passed by as she pondered the next disaster that was sure to occur. Everything hit her so quickly; her eyes could only see red.

The angry sound of her heels on the city's icy, concrete echoed through the night's eerily quiet atmosphere. It was by miracle that she did not slip and fall. Her mind was clouded with pure frustration as she marched back, towards the Police Station. She couldn't grasp why their nightmare wouldn't end, and, yes, it was _their _nightmare. She was as much a part of this as him. Her rapid emotions were what led her to the detective. She could hardly remember the livid stride she used to find herself before his desk, until his confused voice snapped her out of the violet trance.

"Dr. Cuddy?"

A slack jaw and blinking eyes were his only reply. She hadn't expected to face him, again. Standing in the middle of the darkened station on Christmas Eve was definitely a scenario she had never anticipated. It seemed as though, instantly, her frustration shifted from House to Tritter.

"How could you?" It was a desperate question, but asked in a demanding fashion. Technically, he held the authority, but she was unused to not having control. It had been quite some time since she hadn't been the superior.

The man's brows turned inward. His look, angered, but the small smile on his lips expressed his amusement. "How could I what? He was being arrogant.

"How could you take away the deal?" She nearly screamed. It was luck that had them alone. Any other person would have thought her crazy with her eyes wide and arms flailing about.

Tritter's only response was to sigh. Coming from behind his desk, he attempted to talk some sense into her. It had not been his intention to drag her into the middle of their feud. "Dr. Cuddy, you don't know-"

"I know everything! I know his pain and I know how he deals with it. I know his weaknesses and I know how much of an ass he can be." She stepped up to him. Their posture's mirroring the daily dispute between herself and her Diagnostician. She was looking up at his taller form without any form of apprehension. She was the boss. "The Oxycodon was a mistake on his part, but you can't keep in punishing him for his pain." She was hardly a foot away from him now. "It isn't justice, its brutality!" She spat the words in his face.

And that's when she saw it. She saw the incredible way his blue eyes turned almost black. It was not yet fireworks that went off, but guns. Bombs and explosives were what were filling their stare. She'd seen that look a thousand times. House gave it to her nearly every day.

Cuddy was immediately aware of the sudden halt to her rant. She remained in his personal space, breathing heavily. Her gut had lurched itself into her chest at the realization of what she'd done. The man was an animal. She'd seen his unmerciful characteristics for nearly a month and there she was, albeit unknowingly, provoking the beast with her feminine wiles.

He was the one to break away from her gaze when she took a small, tentative step backwards, and, visibly gulped. Tritter screwed his eyes shut and gently shook his head. Calmly, he spoke. "I offered Dr. House a deal before he stole a deceased patient's narcotics. I have no choice, now, but to continue with the investigation. He will, most likely, have a trial in only a few weeks time."

Hurt rushed through Cuddy's body at the thought of House on trial. He didn't have a chance at beating it. Of that, she was certain. Everything came crashing down on her so fast; she wasn't able to suppress the pained look upon her face. The memory of Tritter's response to her demeanor could never be forgotten. He sent her a sympathetic look before making his way back to his desk. Sitting down, the detective spoke in the automatic, professional tone she used when negotiating with donors. "I'm sorry, Dr. Cuddy, but there's nothing else I can do for Dr. House."

With a sharp intake of breath, she refocused her stare onto the floor. She couldn't believe the idea that had been created inside her head when Tritter had looked at her. Her feet stumbled back, once again, as she contemplated what she was about to do. She was already House's bitch. Was she going to become his whore too? The words left her mouth before she even registered what exactly she was getting herself into.

"What about me?"

"I'm sorry?" The detective's face was of shocked confusion. Apparently, he didn't think her a tramp, nor stupid enough to defend an obnoxious drug addict.

"Would you offer me a deal?" She looked into his eyes then. The understood question hung in the air. Its tension, so think, a knife could have cut through it. At the time, he was nothing more than a sadistic bastard. She didn't trust him, nor his morals. It had been a mystery as to whether or not he was willing to negotiate.

The way he pursed his lips told her he was considering the unconstitutional act. He, also, would be risking quite a bit by granting her the opportunity to save House. It all depended on if he was just as miserable as he appeared to be.

"I've been meaning to take a vacation for quite some time now." He eyed her suspiciously. It had been an awkward interaction for the both of them. "Before this whole House situation, I was planning no spending a week at my cabin in upstate New York. Care to join me?"

Her jaw clenched the moment he finished asking the most degrading, unspoken question of her life. Her stomach turned with its importance as her eyes bore into his. Her body, mind, and soul were all fighting each other. Her insides screaming no, while the torch she carried for House begged her to do anything to keep him close. A slow and hesitant nod of her head accepted the proposal he'd just made before verbalizing her understanding of exactly what he was asking, "Okay."

She watched disgusted with the way a genuine smile spread across her face. He stood, once again, from his desk and walked around to stand too close to her. "I'll speak to my boss first thing tomorrow morning, and I plan on heading up to the cabin Sunday morning." He watched her with curious eyes. Much like her employee, he studied her every reaction, and slowly took into memory her nervous demeanor.

"Okay, um email me the address, and I'll meet you there." She could hear her voice breaking. The reality of what she agreed to do hit her so quickly, her eyes glistened with tears. Indignity was all that flowed through her veins.

A flash of remorse passed though Tritter's eyes. For once millionth of a second, he had allowed her to see the soul that did exist within his cold hearted persona. At the time, she dismissed it as a sick and twisted game. He was the devil in her eyes. He was the root of all her life's evil. The disgusting treaty she'd just signed was her undoing. Dysfunction is what she carefully planned and expected. This was the bullet, in which would shatter her scheduled chaos.

The two enimies' eye contact was the rest of their conversation. She could barely breathe, and he appeared to be fighting the urge to run away. Cuddy couldn't help but notice how uncomfortable he looked. She was unknowingly his first illegal agreement. When she turned her head away in shame, she chose to ignore the way he watched her body's movement. It had seemed pointless to be offended. Her entire body shivered as she left the Police Station. The walk to her car was a long one. The December air wasn't nearly as cold as what she'd just experience.

* * *

_Song: "Lonesome Dove" by Garth Brooks_


	2. two

**Alright here's the second installment of this odd story :) Thanks so much for all your guys' support! I was super scared of posting this fic, but the idea just wouldnt leave me alone until i wrote it.. SO GLAD I DID!!**

**And i've gotten a lot of pm's asking about the chosen rating. Some of you begged me to demote the rating to T cause Tritter gives you the creeps.. sorry. I'm keeping the details of this fic as i originially intended, which i know will please quite a lot of you. Starting next chapter, this fic will be very much filled with smut. :P**

* * *

She had awoken the next morning with the same sinking feeling at the bottom of her stomach. After a few hours of restless sleep, her body felt heavy and exhausted. She went through her morning routine without actually thinking. Her mind had been far away. All her focus was on the dark, unknown future. Everything she feared was waiting in the middle of the woods. Her vulnerability and weakness resided in that cabin. It appeared as though Tritter had created her own, personal hell on Earth.

Nothing became clear until she retrieved an oversized gym bag from her bedroom closet. She still had one more precious day before leaving; however she had not wanted to lose her nerve. Carefully, Cuddy packed a week's worth of her casual clothes and most simple of under garments. Her body shivered at the thought of being completely clad before the Detective. She felt like a prostitute. No, she had felt worse than that. Prostitutes received something for their service. They collected their earnings at the end. The Dean of Medicine would not. She was degrading herself for the man she had surely loved for almost twenty years. It felt odd to think of House as her pimp, but in all honesty, there wasn't a better analogy.

She drove to the hospital while on her cell phone. At first, her bosses were not pleased with her vacation's timing. However, once they became aware that the Detective investigating Dr. House had dropped all charges, they were more than willing to grant her the much over due break. A sarcastic chuckle left her mouth at the enthusiastic man on the other line. Everyone was going to think she had finally broken down and needed a league of absence because of her job's current stresses. The irony being that she would most likely need to take some time off, after receiving some time off.

Her assistant was probably the most excited about her decision to take a break. Cuddy had a genuine smile on her face and laugh on her lips at the young girl's exhilaration. She refused to believe she was the reason all of her assistants quit after just a few months. Did she really create that much stress for them? Unfortunately, that small interaction had been the only light hearted part of her day.

She was brought back to her dreadful reality when she opened up the inbox to her email. As promised, Tritter had sent her the address of his cabin along with detailed directions on how to get there. Apparently, the location had difficulty being recognized by a GPS; lovely. That had been her only thought. She was, officially, going to be traveling into the middle of nowhere.

It was then that she saw her Head of Oncology walking, excitedly, towards her office. She could tell by the huge smile on his face that he had heard of House's lucky escape from the law. He nearly took her door off its hinges as he entered her office.

"Have you heard?!"

She couldn't help but grin at how boyish and innocent he looked. "Yes, I've heard. We're all extremely lucky."

"Oh my God, this is just amazing. I mean I know House said he'd eventually give up, but to drop all charges," he was wide eyed with amazement. "This is like a miracle."

Cuddy chuckled dryly. Maybe one day she could reveal herself as the angel responsible for this divine intervention. She highly doubted it.

"I called House. He should be here any minute now. He's probably still gonna be a little out of it for a few days, but he'll come around."

She didn't miss the hopeful tone of Wilson's voice. She knew House was yet to forgive his friend for betraying him. Cuddy, herself had issues with what he had done. However, Wilson had done it for the greater good. It was something the two of them had in common far too much of the time. She barely listened to the Oncologist as he rambled on about how badly their friend's addiction had gotten. Frankly, she had not wanted to hear it. She was about to sell herself for him to keep his damn pills. The last thing she wanted to hear were excuses for him being a bastard.

"I mean, I know he's mad at us, but eventually things will be fine. He just needs time to—"

"Speaking of time," she interrupted his heart felt monologue without hesitation. "I'm taking a week's vacation starting tomorrow."

Wilson's eye brows rose with surprise. It was like she'd just grown a second head. His mouth opened and closed a few times before he spoke. "Are you okay?"

She let out a sigh. Of course he'd assume something was wrong. That's what happened when workaholics took time off. It probably didn't help that she had her Administrative, Ice Queen persona firmly intact. In order for Wilson to leave her to her break without disturbance, she was going to have to give a solid reason. Having him trying to contact her, or worse, looking for her, was not an option.

"I--" She hesitated as tears pricked at the back of her eyes. Flashes of Tritter's expressions rushed through her mind. "I need to get away." Her eyes begged for Wilson's understanding.

The man's brow frowned with concern. "Are you alright? Is there anything I can d--"

"I'm fine. I just need some time off. Everything's just been so crazy around here, I need a break."

Relief hit her hard and fast at Wilson's happy grin. "I think that's great, Cuddy. You deserve it, and please take more time if you need it."

She smiled while standing from her desk, and walking over to hug her friend. "Thanks, Wilson."

The color black caught her eyes. Walking towards the clinic's entrance was a drug addict dressed in dark jeans, a black shirt, a black coat, and a black scarf. He sure as hell didn't look like he'd just avoided going to jail for a decade.

She let out a sigh and released herself from Wilson's embrace as House and her made eye contact through the glass. His face was as broken and full of malice as it had been the night before. At that moment, she nearly lost all hope in him. It was as if no matter how hard she tried or how much she sacrificed, it wasn't enough. He was un-savable. Nothing could change his depressed mind set. No one could give him a preposition for a better life.

Wilson and Cuddy watched House, painfully, enter her office. She remembered how the both of them held their breaths at the redness of his eyes. He had that same, delirious look that he had while detoxing. Wilson had been the first to speak.

"Morning, House."

"I know I'm not usually one to say I told you so, but I told you so." The barb should have come out light and playful. Instead, it sounded strained and forced. At least the Diagnostician had attempted to get things back to normal with his friend. "Now, what's this I hear about you taking a vacation?" He looked directly at her. The intensity in his eyes had made her take a deep breath. He was mad, but she couldn't come up with a reason why.

"How'd you kn –"

"Your nurses have big mouths." He barked the reply into her face. It seemed as though all of the anger he'd had towards the world during the previous couple of weeks had been redirected towards her. She didn't understand his reasoning. Granted, he didn't know what took place at the police station, after he left, but she had done nothing to wrong him. It had been Wilson, not her, who betrayed him.

She, politely, kicked her employees out of her office, choosing to ignore Wilson's not so subtle, silent reprimanding towards House. It was as if reality decided that day was the time to smack her in the face. All of a sudden, her brain forced her to recognize the things her heart had been refusing to see. She couldn't keep doing this. She couldn't keep sticking her neck out for a man so ungrateful to have her. The fairytale didn't exist. There was no hope in ever changing him, and if there ever was, she wouldn't have been the one capable of doing it.

That afternoon was uneventful. Both of her only friends had run off together. No doubt to go sober up the more irresponsible of the two. She had remained locked in her office, rescheduling meetings and postponing donor visits to correspond with her sudden vacation plans. Everything went smoothly. She was capable of sweet talking even the most retched of hospital bureaucrats. It was a talent, really. Maybe not an honorable trait, but it got the job done. She knew a certain detective who could testify to that truth.

He had been in the back of her mind that entire day. After every signature, after every phone call, she had thought of the reason for her actions. Her mind wouldn't allow her to forget what was in store for her. Her body, in result, refused to ingest anything. Caffeine had been her only source of nutrition. She hadn't eaten a scrap of food all day. A feeling of nausea had been consistent from morning to night.

At 8 pm, she contacted him. It was the absolute last thing she did before wishing her baby goodnight, and left to go home. She hadn't been able to reschedule one, insignificant brunch with a donor the following morning. It had sent her into a panic. She had promised him to be at the cabin at sunrise. What if he took away the deal? What if he continued to harass House?

She'd never forget how warped her train of thought had been. One minor complication and her first concern had been House. The man she'd vowed to leave alone just a few, short hours before hand. He was like an addiction. That afternoon, she had been sober. In the evening, she had relapsed. Sitting at her desk, coat and purse ready to go, she fidgeted nervously for at least ten minutes. Tritter made her anxious. He had seemed so unpredictable at the time. She dialed the number to his cell three times before finally hitting the call button. He picked up after what felt like eternity. She'd spent the time bouncing her knee and fiddling with the jewelry around her neck.

"Hello?" His voice gave away the tiredness he must have been feeling.

"Hi." Cuddy whispered the greeting tentatively. She wasn't sure of how he would react. She was seeking his permission. It was difficult, finding the courage to inconvenience him. His response could have been disastrous.

"Dr. Cuddy?" It was a knowing question. He had, probably, been expecting her call. Not to mention, her trembling voice mimicked the tone she had used the previous night. Unknowingly, her helpless position attracted his kinder nature. He wasn't mean in any sense of the word.

"Yes, um, I'm sorry to be calling so late." She could hear the sounds of his work over the phone. She figured their work ethic would be the only thing they had in common. Now, it seemed humorous. They were practically the same person. "I just want to ask you…" She was stuttering.

"Go ahead, Dr. Cuddy." He had spoken gently. Not in the least bit was his tone condescending. At the time, had she not known his reputation, she would've thought him nothing less than a perfect gentleman. He had been polite and soft spoken. It was the scariest thing in the world.

"I was wondering if it would be okay for me to head up a little late tomorrow. I wasn't able to cancel one meeting, and I'm so sorry but it's really important. So I'm kinda stuck, but I promise I'll leave straight away right afterwards…" She rambled on and on. Like a grounded teenage she persuaded a one sided negotiation. She doubted he had even listened to her excuses. A deep sigh from the other line had been what quieted her hysteria.

"Dr. Cuddy, please take your time tomorrow morning. I'm alright with you coming a little late, and if it would be easier for you to join me on Monday, feel free to take the extra day. I understand how demanding your job can be." Sincerity filled her ear. She couldn't think anything else, but that he was speaking the truth.

"Oh," she was awestruck. The temptation to take full advantage of his offer tugged at her heart. Another day of liberty sounded wonderful. If she could have put off this whole deal, she would have. That last thing she had wanted was to service Detective Michael Tritter. That was when reality had hit her, and she realized who she was speaking to. He couldn't be trusted. "Thank you, but I'll be able to meet you at the cabin sometime tomorrow afternoon. I really appreciate the extension. Thank you."

"You are very welcome. Have a good night." He seemed to be dying to get off the phone. It was awkward. Almost as if he was uncomfortable talking about their agreement. They hung up their respective cellular devices and didn't speak for the rest of that evening.

His seemingly non-existent temper had been nerve wracking. She hadn't ever seen him lose control. The calm and cool front he always put on display for the public was all she'd ever seen him as. It worried her as to see if he would be as genuine about her tardiness as he sounded over the phone. She had once overheard House referring to him as a snake. His strikes were always strategically calculated. He waited patiently for the perfect chance to make his move. Nothing ever gave away his anger or animosity. It was this that her second guessing the calming feeling he'd given her through the phone. How was she supposed to know whether or not he kept his war tactics for criminals and not some woman he'd managed to create a deal with? Was he truly upset and planned on punishing her once she was miles into the forest with him? It was at this thought that she gulped. Horrific images filled her mind as she locked up her office and headed home for another night of restless sleep.


	3. three

**To all of my readers,**

**I cannot apologize enough for abandoning this community for nearly half a year. For those who have read my profile, you know that I am a senior in high school. Since early spring I have been struggling with the process of applying to colleges. This has stressed me like nothing ever before and has taken my mind hostage. I had terrible writer's block when writing my application essays, never mind with fanfiction. However, the process has officially come to an end, and all that is left for me to do is sit back and wait for an acceptance letter. Again, I am so sorry for leaving you all hanging.**

**Many of you have sent me encouraging private messages and emails. I thank you all so much for the amazing support and from now on will reply and interact like I once did. I appreciate everyone that reads my stories.**

**That being said, sweetpants is back! Expect updates and new stories to be added on a regular basis. Also, I would like to thank my fabulous beta Wonderlandbaby. She has stuck by me through these hectic months and has helped my writing like no other.**

**I am looking to find some fresh minds to proof read my material, however. I am confident in the way Wonderlandbaby and I work together but I think it is important to receive different opinions from a mixture of writers. I know quite a few of you have offered to give me a hand before so I would like to take up a couple of offers. Please, let me know if you're interested.**

**Sincerely,**

**Gabriela (sweetpants)**

* * *

Fifteen hours later, Cuddy was standing in the exact same place giving her assistant a few last guidelines before heading off to the main lobby and greeting her baby's most recent donor. She'd seen him then. As her tense body walked towards the middle aged millionaire, her eyes caught sight of the crippled Diagnostician. He looked better. For the first time in weeks, his eyes were not blood shot, nor was his usual scruff verging on a beard. Grey on blue eye contact was made. She offered him a warm smile which was returned with a polite nod. It would be his only form of an apology; for pissing off Tritter, for stealing the Oxycodin, for saying she'd suck at—her mind blocked the memory. A chill wracked her spine every time she thought of that awful moment.

That was their last interaction before she'd left. He'd gotten on the elevator, and she's accompanied the perverted benefactor to brunch. It had been as stressful as a full work day. The pressure of her impending loss of all self respect weighed on her mind throughout the short hours in which she'd spent in the hospital. Everything happened with a blur of colors and white noise. By miracle, she managed to entertain the patron enough to earn his donation. She left Princeton Plainsboro Teaching Hospital with her attention too distracted to bid her Head of Oncology goodbye. It had been the beginning of a shameful end.

The car ride was torturous. Every mile that past brought her closer and closer to turning around. The only things fueling the travel were gasoline and the memory of House's bright eyes. Her girly heart fluttered every time she thought of how handsome he had looked earlier that day. But then she remembered what kind of payment she was making to continue seeing those striking features. She was doing this one last thing for him. After sacrificing her body for him, she had nothing left to give. He would have to avoid catastrophe on his own. Cuddy had made this promise to herself before, however. Only time would tell if she would stay true to her pride.

The scenery, at first, was dull. The grey New Jersey highways went on for what seemed like forever. By the time she finally breached the beautiful countryside, she'd cried nearly four times. It was dusk when she recognized herself on the ending routes of Tritter's directions. He'd been right. There was no way her GPS would've been able to find the cabin. Unpaved roads led to where her prison resided. He had nailed two bright blue two by fours, in the form a 'T' to a tree at the start of the cabin's long driveway. White pebbles crunched under her car's expensive tires as she made her way up the slight hill at an incredibly slow rate.

It was beautiful. Even through her deluded eyes, she had to admit the attractiveness of her vacation's resort. A small amount of white frost covered the property. It clashed nicely with the light colored wood of the cabin. An old fashioned brick chimney stood at the roof's center along with a wind mill. It wasn't as small as she had expected. It appeared to have at least five different rooms, all on one floor, and the farmer's porch added to the front of the cabin. Everything was anally organized; from the cabin itself, to the wintery landscape, to the pile of firewood just beside a parked pick-up truck. She noticed the unique license plate of '225 T.'

She had been snapped out of her analyzing stare by the sound of the cabin's front door opening. A rush of anxiety had gone through her. Her stomach had come up and lodged itself in the back of her throat. She waited for him. She had anticipated seeing him with an arrogant grin and powerful strut. However, all that occurred within those first few minutes of arrival was that she no longer had to knock and be led inside. He never came outside. Hesitantly, Cuddy stepped out of her car. The near freezing temperature had her skin covered in goose bumps from head to toe. Being dressed in her usual work attire didn't help either. Her heals carefully balanced her trembling body as she made her way to the trunk of her car. Everything she did was in slow motion. She had procrastinated going inside for as long as possible. When she finally found herself standing on the porch, gym bad, brief case, and purse tangled around her, she stopped to take a deep breath. This was happening.

Cuddy entered the cabin as quietly as her shoes would allow her. Again, she was taken aback by her new environment. From the interior look, the cabin didn't look like a cabin at all. Tritter was insane for referring to it as one. In actuality, it was a small house. An open living room greeted any new occupants. A wall-length bookshelf, overflowing with novels accompanied a crackling fire place at the room's end. She noticed the arched doorway which she assumed led to the kitchen, by the delicious smells in the air. Artificial lighting came from the same direction as the scent while a dim lamp standing just beside a leather couch, indicated that the cabin ran on electricity.

She dropped her bags, as quietly as possible, beside the room's center coffee table. Taking deep, steadying breaths, she braced herself before turning towards the kitchen's entry way. All of her yoga-inspired preparation wasn't enough. At the sight of him standing so calmly in the doorway, she froze. At the time, there wasn't a scarier thing in the world, but thinking back, she realized he couldn't have looked more amicable. He was leaning against the wall with his hands tucked in the pockets of his faded blue jeans. The simple white t-shirt he wore complimented the size of his biceps while his shoeless feet gave away the peacefulness he felt when at the cabin.

Her reaction was to remain perfectly still as he silently watched her. The moment was awkward. The two of them were not in the least bit comfortable in the other's company. Their companionship was unnatural. Clearing his throat, he looked at her, but not directly in the eyes.

"I- uh- am making dinner. You can go ahead and take a shower, or change, or…" He was rambling, "Do whatever it is that you want to do. Yeah, okay." Had she been any less terrified, the scene before her would've been hilarious; Michael Tritter embarrassed.

She flinched when he stepped towards her to retrieve her bags. Cuddy wasn't expecting the gentleman like gesture. He didn't acknowledge her fright in any way, simply led her through the adobe. It appeared to be larger than it actually was. The layout of the small amount of rooms gave the illusion of extra space. The living room led to the kitchen, which was wide and open. Top of the line appliances accented the counter top's dark marble. An old fashioned dining table rested before two elegant French doors, overlooking the backyard. It was just as attractive as the front. A stone patio, connected to the house, held an enormous barbeque and seating area. A fire pit, made of brick, illuminated all of the property. For a moment, she though she saw movement further backwards, but pushed it aside as her nerves.

"Over by the frig, there's a very small office. I don't generally use it but I do have a laptop hooked up by satellite 'cause there's no WiFi out here. My work usually contacts me by phone so you're welcome to set up any of your stuff in there." He gestured with his head towards the door at the kitchen's opposite end. It was strange to hear such a natural comment from him. It gave the feel of a house tour. Expect the fact she was there practically against her will, and they were just about as far away from being friends as possible. Still, the moment had been somewhat settling to her rapidly beating heart.

Their final destination was a tiny hallway contradictory to the French doors leading outside. To the left was the bathroom. It was as simple as the office he had previously described. Nothing special besides the pile of cloth and dental supplies rested upon the sink's countertop.

"I was, um, afraid you'd forget some things so I got you a toothbrush and… things like that – Just in case." He spoke to the floor constantly.

Cuddy looked at him through lowered eye lashes. What was she supposed to say? The act was sweet. In present time, she could admit this reality and smile at his hospitality. Then, she felt bile at the back of her throat when she replied, "Thank you."

Just beside the cabin's only bathroom was the bedroom. Tritter set her bags down and chanced a look into her eyes. He was an unknown. She couldn't decipher the awkward look on his face. It almost looked pained.

"This is my room." The statement was entirely mumbled. His mouth hardly opened to speak it. Slowly, as if it they were in the middle of an over dramatic suspense film, he turned the door's knob and relieved the Detective's safe haven. Even during one of her darkest hours, magnificent, had been the only word she could think of to describe the master bedroom. By far the biggest room in the cabin, it contained an enormous king size bed, equipped with sculptured lion's head on each post. He had already turned down the covers and started a small fire in the gorgeous marble fire place in the room's center. Cherry wood furniture gave a relaxing, elegant aura as the dark blue colored walls gave the room a masculine atmosphere. However, she found it quite uncharacteristic for the bedding to be of beige silk.

Cuddy could make out the material due to the fact she was just inches away from the bed. Awe had taken her by surprise and sent her tentatively roaming throughout the room. For the first time since she'd arrived, the doctor's attention wasn't completely focused on the possible villain behind her. Tritter waited patiently and silently for her brigade of curiosity to end. He'd placed her bags beside an antique full-length mirror posted against the wall next to the bed. His calm, hesitant voice broke her trance.

"Well, this is it. I'll go finish dinner. Please, make yourself at home."

Before turning to face him, a cynical snort escaped her. How the hell could this even be mistaken as her home? At the realization of how loud her reaction had been Cuddy swirled around to see Tritter with an amused smirk on his face. Again, she had expected a negative retort. He simply rolled his eyes and chuckled quietly before leaving the room. He even closed the door behind him. It was unnecessarily awkward. It wasn't like he'd be respecting her privacy for much longer.

She changed in record timing. The small window of solitude he'd offered to her was only temporary. She hadn't wanted him to change his mind regarding her attire. Sweatpants and a long sleeved shirt were her choices of clothing. She refused to wear anything even remotely appealing for him. However, the idea of being forced to leave the cabin and head into the winter's night remained in the back of mind. If something bad happened, she'd have to run. The thought forced a pair of sneakers onto her feet. Cuddy took a moment to herself before stashing her laundry into one of her bags. _'Fuck my life' _had been her only thought. Looking up into the mirror, she took in her reflection. Glassy eyes gazed back at her. How had things ended up this way?

Several loud bangs against the door shook her thoughts and had her bones nearly leaping out of her skin. Her head snapped in the direction of the room's entrance as her ears perked to pay close attention the commotion just on the other side of the wall.

"Holmes! Watson! Get out of there!" Immediately, the banging stopped. At the sound of Tritter's booming voice, the animals, or so she assumed they were, abandoned their advances. She listened carefully to the heavy pitter pattering being created in the other room. It was yet another surprise being thrown her way.

She checked her cell phone for any messages before quietly entering the kitchen. Apparently, she wasn't quiet enough because two enormous chocolate Labrador Retrievers came dashing towards her the moment she stepped foot into the room. Cuddy braced herself as the canines crashed against her legs and pushed her back against the wall. It was impossible for her to stifle the ear splitting smile that spread across her face.

"Oh God, would you two knock it off." Tritter's command fell on deaf ears. Neither the dogs nor she were paying him any attention. She doubted the animals could even hear him over her giggling squeals of delight as they licked her face. It didn't come to her until much later that the detective's orders halted immediately after she laughed with glee. He had been pleased with her reaction to the beasts.

It took nearly ten minutes for the Retrievers to settle down. Unfortunately, it didn't take quite so long for Cuddy's paranoid nature to return. As soon as the dogs lost interest in the cabin's new guest, she stood carefully beside the table and watched Tritter circle around the kitchen, preparing something she wasn't familiar with, but smelt wonderful none the less.

She didn't speak until he began setting the table. Manners were a possible way of avoiding total catastrophe during this little 'vacation.' She took timid steps in his direction and reached out to take the two plates and utensils from his hands, "May I help?"

She wouldn't ever realize how childishly adorable she had looked in that moment. Tritter could do nothing but agree to her request with a smile. "Yes, please."

More silence followed their brief conversation. Neither of them spoke a word as they sat down to finally eat. She had been hungry. The entire trip into the middle of nowhere had not been energized by food. In fact, just seconds before even entering the cabin, her stomach had grumbled in discomfort. However, she still managed to sit unsettlingly at the table. The delicious smelling meal on her plate couldn't even ease her nerves. She pushed the contents before her around and around with a fork as Tritter quietly avoided making eye contact while eating. The only other sounds within the home were of Holmes and Watson's content snoring beneath the table. _'Well at least they're relaxed.' _With that cynical thought, she took a small bite of her dinner. Explosions of wonderful taste erupted all over her tongue and soothed her aching belly. It was the start to a very long list of Detective Tritter's talents.

Cuddy never looked up as she ate. Her mind ran over all the arrangements she had made before leaving the hospital. Even this situation couldn't drag her out of her workaholic lifestyle. All she could think about to pass the time was Princeton Plainsboro. It was all she had. Everything else occurred without her knowledge. This was why she became startled when she finished eating and looked across the table.

Tritter had been waiting patiently for her to finish her food. He had consumed all of his meal in a matter of minutes, and watched admirably at the feminine manner in which she ate. His eyes were glazed over with either exhaustion or longing. She didn't really want to know.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Please, don't wait --"

"It's alright. Take your time." He smirked warmly at her. It was disturbing.

"I'm done. Thank you." She wasn't done. He knew she wasn't done. A moment of hesitation passed between them. She was debating on whether or not to say something else while he got caught in between sitting and standing. When he realized that her appetite had gone, he took a cautious step over Watson and began picking up the table.

Cuddy shot up out of her seat. Her nervous system worked in an unfortunate way. Whenever she felt uneasy, her body refused to remain still. Her hands needed to be constantly doing something. She stacked her half full plate onto of his empty one and frantically piled the silverware on top. She was unconsciously aware of Tritter halting his similar actions.

"Dr. Cuddy, it's alright. I --"

"It's okay. I've got it." She was shushing his manners. Who knew if he was being sincere?

"I know, but I can handle it. You don't have to --" He stopped his words mid sentence and rolled his eyes. She was far too stubborn to do as he asked. Cuddy simply smiled as the realization came across his face; Together, the silently picked up the table. Everything went well until they both reached for the same glass.

It was a tall, empty wine glass. The very same glass Cuddy had drank the white wine Tritter had poured her for dinner. He had moved it aside to the end of the table when they stacked their dirty dishes. For an instance shorter than a second, it was held within both of their grasps. They were clearing the area so quickly neither noticed they held onto the same object until Tritter's large, rough fingers came in contact with Cuddy's small, delicate ones. It had been like an electric shock. Both Doctor and Detective immediately released their grip and watched in slow motion as the cup dropped an inch onto its side and tumbled towards the table's edge. Cuddy could only respond once it was too late. The glass fell onto the floor with a loud _smash_ as it shattered. Glass flew in every direction, waking the sleeping dogs and sending them into a frenzy.

She coward down almost instantly. Falling into a squat position and picking up the glass with shaking hands. Tritter commanded the dogs away, barricading them in the living room by pushing a couch to block the kitchen's entrance. All the while, Cuddy was apologizing profusely. Her eyes were casted down onto the ground. She couldn't see anything but the tiny pieces of glass scattered beneath her fingers. Not once did she look up to see the pained look on Tritter's face. Apparently, he hadn't seen the purpose of audibly objecting to her nonsensical explanations. She was took shaken up to believe he could ever be understanding about the matter.

Gently, he knelt down beside her. His large calloused hands stopped hers and tentatively picked the broken glass from her fingers, taking extra care to make sure she wasn't cut. It was then that she raised her gaze to his compassionate stare. She hadn't realized how blue his eyes were until they were just a foot away from her own.

"I'm not gonna hurt you." He murmured.

Hey eye lashes batted unconsciously as all the blood ran from her face. It was not a second later that her world was swirled around. Large, masculine arms shot out and wrapped themselves around her petite frame. Strong biceps picked her up with incredible ease; one arm supported her back while the other scooped her knees to rest in the crook of his elbow. She grabbed hold of his neck in shock. Her breathing turned rapid as he carried her down the cabin's short hallway. Cuddy looked up, down, and in every direction. However, the entire time he had simply watched her face. She could only imagine how frightened she must have looked during those short moments.

Even at the time, Cuddy wasn't surprised that their destination had been the bedroom. It was after all what she was originally therefore. But that didn't change the panic that was rising within her. When she felt him gently lowering her onto the bed, her hands locked together behind his head. It didn't make any sense. She wanted to be as far away from him as possible yet her limbs refused to let him go. Later she would assume an unknown psychological reason was to blame. She hadn't wanted to see him standing above her so dominantly.

Her effort was unsuccessful. The Detective's counter move had been to reach his hands to hers and caress the skin above her locked knuckles. He didn't say a work and she was far too paralyzed with fear to speak. Eventually, her grip loosened and he was able to softly pry her fingers apart. A near silent whimper vibrated behind her closed lips as he kneeled beside her submissive body on the bed.

"It's okay. Don't be scared."

He had attempted to be reassuring; constantly trying to tell her that she was in no danger. He was nothing to fear. It would have taken just minutes for him to ease to her nerves, but the anxiety she felt as he looked down at her was immeasurable to anything she had ever experienced in her life.

Carefully, he grabbed a hold of her shoulders and scooted her higher up on the bed. She squeezed her eyes shut as the back of her head came in contact with the down pillows. She was fighting reality. Telling herself it was all a dream, and none of it was real. The feeling of him above her was a delusion. The smell of his colon was an illusion. The sound of his voice repeatedly telling her to relax was a hallucination. Everything happening was a figment of her imagination. Cuddy had nearly convinced herself of this until making the unconscious, stupid decision to open her eyes.

Tritter's frame towered over hers. His strong arms held his torso above her own as he sought out her attention. She refused to give it to him. Her eyes turned cold as she looked through him. It was obvious that she was somewhere else; her mind venturing to anywhere but her current location. He wasn't even able to force a response by placing a soothing kiss to the pulsing vein in her neck. It had done nothing but make her heart pump harder.

His fingers grazed her flesh as he pushed her shirt up above her breasts. Cuddy remained perfectly still as he bent at an odd angle to press a warm, wet kiss to the center of her toned abdomen. Her stomach turned under his surprisingly soft lips. She was motionless; yet the feeling of her skin crawling racked her body from head to toe. If he noticed the way her hands remained balled into fists by her side, he never said. Tritter simply continued to cover her newly relieved skin with delicate kisses. His technique had been a genius one. She almost hadn't felt his knee slip in between her thighs.

She was unable to muffle the painful whine that erupted behind her clenched teeth. She was ashamed of herself. Considering the circumstance, she may as well have been being raped, but that didn't alter the feeling of the jean clad limb putting a seductive amount of pressure against her womanhood. It was disgusting and painful to her emotions that her body reacted in this way. She had wished upon all the stars in the sky to avoid enjoying the pleasurable sensations being to form throughout her pelvis.

He was good. Even at the time there had been no denying that. The way he multitasked in nibbling the skin above her ribs and rotating his knee against her was amazing. The fact that she'd been celibate for nearly four years didn't help the situation either. It was dreadfully embarrassing the way his touch affected her. Tritter repulsed her, yet she was fighting to keep her hips from thrusting up against him. It was too much. Her body was fighting between being locked in place and wanting to squirm and arch. Every time his denim came in contact with the seam of her sweatpants, he added just a little bit more force to the action. It wasn't possible to ignore the electric shocks that surged through her at the feeling, nor could she control the almost animalistic grunts that were created by the back of her throat.

Cuddy bit her bottom lip until it bled. He didn't acknowledge the action or the sound. He simply continued his tantalizing ministrations and gently slid the tips of all ten of his fingers beneath the waist band of her pants. She had been too distracted with fighting against herself to feel the action until he began to slowly drag the clothing down her thighs. He watched his hands. Never did he look up to see her begging eyes. She was silently pleading for him to stop, but her bottom lifted ever so slightly on its own accord, making it all the more easy for him to strip her.

When the pants scrunched above her sneakers, he removed them, as well as her socks, and quietly piled her belongings on the floor. Her mind screamed for her eyes to shut and block this supposed horrific vision. She couldn't, however. The sight of his hungry eyes staring at the flimsy white panties she wore was too shocking. She hadn't seen such a masculine look in such a long time. Just about twenty years to be exact.

His hands traveled back up the length of her legs and to her hips. She clenched every muscle in her body when he discarded her panties in the same manner he'd done her pants. She was lying before him completely exposed and at his mercy. At the feel of his rough hands gently separating her locked legs, her face fell to the side and changed her line of vision to across the room. Again, her cursed luck had her staring directly back at herself. She had forgotten about the full length mirror beside the bed. She watched as his open mouth lowered to just above her bikini line, and placed a kiss there. Not a moment later was when she nearly died.

In one quick motion, Tritter swiped his tongue from the bottom of her swollen sex all the way up to her quivering clitoris. Cuddy's neck snapped back to turn her face towards the ceiling while her back arched to the point where only her shoulders were left on the bed. A groan vibrated off her sealed lips as he delicately worked his palette against her raw flesh. She was whimpering in what could be mistaken as pain, but Tritter knew better. He was a confident man. He had known that the sounds coming from her were of restrained pleasure.

His hands had an icon grip on her waist while her legs rested limply over his broad shoulders. As seconds passed, the pressure of his tongue increased as its speed quickened. An animalistic moan escaped him when he drank from her; her shame sliding down his throat like honey.

Cuddy could barely control herself. Her body, mind and soul all betrayed her. Tears blurred her vision while her pounding heart muted her ears. She was getting closer and closer to climaxing and was fighting it with everything she had. She couldn't come. Not for him. She swore to any and all higher powers that despite being in a heavenly state, she couldn't succumb to this devil's ministrations.

He was too powerful. The man between her legs was too seductive for her body to refuse. With his soft lips and strong tongue, he was an unavoidable force. He had here on edge almost instantly. Her hands unclenched themselves from the sheets and hovered above his fair-haired head. Dainty palms were open with need as delicate fingers bent in restraint. It was as though her appendages had minds of their own. They wished to be tangled in his hair and scratch his scalp. Anything to encourage the wrongfulness he was creating with that wicked mouth.

Again, a sob left Cuddy. Why was this happening? Why couldn't have he just taken advantage of her like a normal psychopath? That was the way it was supposed to be. She had spent two restless nights imaging him manhandling her. She had picture him as a rough animal. She had looked to the future with dread. Never had she thought him as a passionate _lover. _It was the only term she could think of to describe his actions. No one had ever touched her in the manner in which he had. It was as disturbing as it was hypnotizing.

The strength she showed was remarkable. Cuddy continued to clench her teeth and make the minimal amount of noise as possible. She panted through her nose and retracted her hands, balling them into fists on her stomach. She was battling the inevitable. With a flick of his tongue, Cuddy nearly had an orgasm.

It was when Tritter puckered his lips over her clit and sucked the tiny erection that she came apart. Her jaw dropped, allowing a yell of surrender to ring through the cabin. Her own nails scrapped across her abdomen, leaving harsh red lines. The stars behind her eyes exploded, having unconsciousness threaten to overcome her mind. Her entire body shook with sensation as the detective continued to alternate lapping and sucking on her sex. The violent first orgasm Cuddy experienced was followed by two more soothing ones.

Tritter didn't finish his glorious torture until she was tingling with delight. His victim lay motionless and completely satisfied. Nearly all of her senses became nonexistent as sleep tired her eyes. She could barely feel him licking her clean and then shifting away from her. He had leaned over the bed and retrieved her panties from the floor. Carefully, Tritter pushed the flimsy garment up the doctor's numb legs and pulled down her shirt. He balanced his body above Cuddy by moving into a push-up position, leaning down so that their faces were just a few inches apart.

Cuddy could feel him. Though she was on the verge of dreams, she could feel his eyes tracing the relaxed lines of her face and damp curls along her forehead. His breath was cooling her damp neck as sweat ran from above her ear past her distinctive jaw. When he placed a gentle kiss to her cheek was when Cuddy lifted her eye lids and stared back at him with lowered lashes.

He whispered to her, mimicking the way a lover would speak to his loved one.

"This deal was made between equals. You are not my slave." With that, he pressed his lips to hers.

It had been such a long time since Cuddy had been kissed, she nearly forgot the feeling. However, the act wasn't as comforting as Tritter shifting her beneath the covers and kindly telling her to sleep. It had been even longer since she had been taken care of. The next morning would prove to be beyond difficult. She would have to comprehend the fact that she, for one moment of undeniable bliss, had actually been disappointed to feel the warm body above her, Michael Tritter, quietly leave the bedroom.


	4. four

**This chapter is dedicated to _Invisible Rose_, whom i promised this update about a week ago. Sorry girl :( Thanks for all the support!**

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She had never felt so healthy. For the short minutes in which her eyes fluttered open, her mind and body experienced an almost heavenly bliss. She hadn't slept so well in years. Her bones and muscles were relaxed as she stretched under the bed's warm covers. And then it hit her. House, the deal, and everything that occurred the night before became apparent at the sight of Holmes and Watson lying beside her. Her brief panic was extinguished as the animals began wagging their tails and snuggled closer to her. At the end of this negotiation, she _was _getting a dog.

The sound of naked feet padding down the hallway had Cuddy shutting her eyes immediately and faying sleep. She heard him quietly enter the room and chuckle at what she assumed to be the sight of her and the canines. He whispered softly.

"You guys like her, huh?"

An adorable snort that came from Watson was the detective's only answer. Despite her nerves she had smiled inwardly at the kind exchange. When she heard him opening up a draw, she opened her eyes and an inaudible gasp left her mouth. He stood, rummaging through his clothes, in nothing but a towel. His back was to her so she was able to genuinely, silently react to his appearance. Her eyes traced the muscular lines of her shoulders and followed his spine down his back. Beads of water rippled down his alabaster skin and she was honest with herself in thinking that there were few more impressive physics. She was actually looking forward to him turning around. Cuddy was not disappointed when he did.

Looking down at the pile of clothes he'd gathered in his hands, Tritter never noticed her observing stare. She was awestruck at the sight of his broad, bare torso. He was a beast of a man. The shape of his biceps could be seen from across the room. His chest was enormous and perfect. Skinniness did not make his abs visible. The muscles in his abdomen protruded outward, expressing their power. The sparse hair of his torso was so finely blonde she could barely make out the tempting line that led below the white towel wrapped loosely around his hips. Yes, there were worse sights.

Cuddy snapped her eyes shut before he could witness her curious gaze. She remained perfectly still as he collected a few more items from the room and then slowly left her to continue 'sleeping.' At the sound of the door closing, she sat up and buried her face in her hands. The dogs beside her offered their support by huddling around her. Everything was failing her. First House and now her body. Cuddy no longer had the energy to fight. She couldn't continue this back and forth of emotions anymore. She was experiencing some sort of midlife crisis. That was all. That was all it could be. There wasn't another explanation for her recent actions.

Shaking off the feeling of uncertainty, she turned to give attention to the dogs. They may have been his but she felt as though they were on her side. Either that or she was simply starved for affection; from anything. If true, it would surely excuse the night before. With that thought, she hopped off the bed with wobbly legs. Day two of hell had officially begun. Holmes and Watson followed her lead and started to wag their tails in delight. They were impatient to see her exit the room so she opened the bedroom door to allow them to wait in the hallway.

Returning to the bedside, Cuddy bent down to the floor and gathered up her sweatpants and sneakers. Once again, memories of Tritter engulfed her mind. His voice, his face, his smell, all haunted her. She redressed with a huff and toed on her shoes, disregarding the socks tossed carelessly on the floor. Her reflection mocked her inner conflict when she stood erect. The image in the full length mirror completely contradicted the horror she felt. The lines of age on her face seemed to have disappeared with the extra hours of sleep she had attained. Her usually pale face was blushed with a natural, pink coloring along her cheeks. Everything about her exterior indicated that her body was at peace. It was her mind that refused to cooperate. Huffing, the Dean of Medicine all but ran out of the room.

She quietly walked into the kitchen to see him putting on a black pea coat, with a grey scaly cap on his head and a matching scarf around his neck. In some ways, he was very House-like. It was oddly comforting. She could handle House. She was used to his insanity. If Tritter was anything similar, she could use the familiarity as an advantage. He acknowledged her presence with a small smile before opening the slider door, allowing his dogs to play outside in the foot of snow. He was standing just a short distance away from her now. She could smell his cologne.

"Good morning."

She immediately broke their eye contact. The redness of her cheeks intensified as she cleared her throat.

"G'morning," was her reply. Every word that escaped her mouth was mumbled. "Thank you for letting me sleep so late. I don't usually do that."

"I figured."

She smiled in return. He looked down at the floor. This pattern of strange behavior when with each other wasn't letting up. It seemed as though the entire week would be spent this way. Despite what had already occurred, the two were awkward and shy.

"I'm heading into town to run a few errands in a little bit. You're welcome to join me… or you can stay here, whichever you prefer."

She considered the options quickly. All she wished for was to be alone but that wasn't there deal. She was supposed to be with him. Although the unspoken consensus had been for her companionship during the nightly hours, she figured her service may be wanted in the sunlight. With that,

"Just let me change." She paused and looked at him. "Please."

At her added word, he seemed to frown. He'd probably hoped her formalness would have lessened since their last interaction. Cuddy wouldn't have it. She wasn't taking a trip to fantasy land and pretending to be on an equal level with the man. No, that was one thing she wouldn't do. If thinking she did not completely loathe him made Tritter feel better about himself then so be it. She didn't ever disregard reality and she sure as hell wasn't going to now. He could live with her coldness, or so she assumed.

Her movements were quick as she freshened up in the bathroom and exchanged her comfortable clothes for jeans and a turtleneck. She brought approximately two low cut tops and that had simply been due to not owning anything else. Unless completely necessary, those shirts weren't leaving her bag. Being in public meant the use of makeup. Had they remained in the cabin she wouldn't have even bothered. In her mind, the less attractive she seemed to him the better. Although even in her disheveled state of just a few minutes prior, he hadn't seemed phased. In fact, he had a peculiar way of looking at her. He didn't ogle, he appreciated. Returning to the kitchen and putting on her winter coat, Cuddy was surprised to find the room empty. Barking from outside caught her attention and she found the detective throwing a tennis ball for the retrievers to go get and then bring back. The process was repeated a few times before she set outside to join them. Tritter scoffed when Holmes turned the ball to her and not him.

"He's a bit of a tramp." She laughed at his statement and ignored the way he watched her. Tossing the ball herself, she turned to him.

Nothing, she didn't speak and she didn't move. Her face was pleasant yet a mystery. The mask was on. He waited a moment too long. She could tell he had expected her to speak.

"Holmes! Watson! Let's go!" The animals came running and she followed him around the home to his truck. He unlatched the back and she smiled to see the dogs' excitement. They seemed to want to jump, but the look Tritter gave them was had them sitting obediently. They waited for him to lift them up individually into the vehicle. He made it seem as though they were weightless. Not that she was impressed. It was just interesting. Interesting would be her psyche's word of the week. She decided to soothe her curiosity.

"They can't jump high enough?" He looked at her while closing the latch and brushing off the dog hair on his coat.

"No, they can do it. I just don't like them to." The both made their way to their respective doors. "I don't want them to hurt themselves." They shared a smirk as he fired up the powerful engine.

The car ride was as awkward as ever. Both doctor and detective were hell bent on ignoring everything that occurred the night before. In fact, they refused to acknowledge the very reason why they were in each other's company. Besides Tritter's kind statement after the previous evening's activities, there had been no discussion regarding their deal. He watched the road with complete concentration. He didn't look over at her and he definitely made no physical contact with her. Speaking of physical contact,

"Do you have an STD?" The question left her mouth without her brain's consent. She was stupid. She was so stupid.

He jumped and his eyes went wide. To say she caught him off guard would be an understatement. Why on earth didn't she just call the hospital and ask to see his records? Oh yes, because that would have been the correct thing to do and, apparently, Lisa Cuddy was now fully engrossed in self destructing. She rolled her eyes at herself.

"No, I'm good." Tritter's cheeks were a bright shade of red and she couldn't help but find it cute. Again, there was something wrong with her. A strange pause filled the truck.

"Look, I'm sorry -" She was cut off by his signature chuckle.

"Dr. Cuddy, you've apologized to me more times in the last two days than anyone I've ever known. You were rightfully concerned about your health. It's fine. Please stop apologizing. "

She'd be lying if she said she wasn't satisfied with his answer. He seemed sincere even though he spoke in a humorous tone. He seemed oddly… trusting. However, she assumed he had been anticipating the question. After all, the sole reason he was ever at her hospital in the first place was to get tested. The memory made her cringe and she decided to push it to the back of her mind. Maybe at a later time she'd reproach the subject. Hopefully, the second attempt would be less intrusive.

Neither of them spoke for hours. It wasn't uncomfortable when in private. Each of them assumed to have nothing in common and therefore opted not to speak. In actuality, they were very similar. Their lives were noisy. Though both doctor and detective lived lonely lives, they were constantly surrounded by commotion. The silence they enjoyed so much seemed more acceptable when sharing it, albeit reluctantly, with one another.

In public, this was entirely different. It was about a fifteen minute drive from the cabin to town and Cuddy became distinctly aware that Tritter's cabin resided in the middle of nowhere… in the middle of nowhere. The town had one store of every kind and that was it: one grocery store, one pet store, one gas station, one drug store, etc. It would have been boring had she not been preoccupied with everyone staring at her. Every person in sight was watching her and Tritter. They greeted him warmly from a distance, but never introduced themselves. They all just continued to stare at her. From everywhere, she felt eyes on her.

Tritter noticed the attention but did nothing to encourage or stop it. He shot her a curious look and appeared pleased that she wasn't freaking out. Everyone knew him. Though it was a small town and she assumed everyone knew everyone. Tritter seemed to be exceptionally popular.

The glances she received varied. There were men who gave her the usual up and down critique and then there were those who gave her a warm, polite smile. It was those men whom shouted out a respectful greeting to Tritter. Always personable, always respectable; that was how the man beside her was spoken to. She had predicted this of the detective long before the whole fiasco with House started. He had a forceful presence. The women's stares were far more interesting. She wasn't oblivious to the few whom watched her with envious eyes. They were the same women whom were juggling two babies and a grocery basket while watching Tritter's every body movement. She wished to be in there position; with child. There were other woman, however, that sent her a smile so full of warmth even the detached Dean of Medicine could feel it. They sent sympathetic glances to Tritter and he nodded politely in return. It was irritating and interesting. She had an odd want to learn more about him.

This pattern continued until their final errand. It was also when the two finally interacted. Tritter parked alongside the drug store. She helped him give water to the dogs and petted them as well.

"It's probably a little cold for them, but they love going for rides…" His words trailed off. The two were incapable of having a normal conversation. Sentences were incomplete thoughts. Each had a way of not finishing their words.

"I think it's nice." She offered him a smile which he returned. At least they could talk about the animals without problems.

She followed him into the store and received the same stares from the few people buying medication that the others in the grocery store and pet store had. It was all the same except for the stout man behind the counter excitedly shouting Tritter's name.

"Well I'll be damned! Michael Tritter!" He came around front, smile beaming with his hand out to shake her companion's hand. From Tritter's expression, she could tell this man was a friend.

"John Crawford," the detective responded with a smirk. "Don't act surprised, I know you're wife told you I was coming up this week."

"Well you can't blame me for trying, right? You haven't been up here in ages." So he was well known and, apparently, was close to this man and his wife. Also, he hadn't been to the cabin in awhile. Figuring out Tritter; this was the internal game she would play to pass the time during the day. "She told me yesterday and I just got a call from Ralph down at the gas station," his gaze shifted to Cuddy. "He said someone entirely too good looking for you was being held captive at your place."

Every single hair on the back of her neck stood up. The color drained from her face. Had he –

Tritter's nervous chuckle snapped her thoughts back into the real world. It had been a joke. People made them all time. She needed to calm down.

"I am capable of getting a date, you know. As a matter of fact, your sister-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!"

Both men laughed while she tried to compose herself. She didn't have much of a chance.

"John, this is D-"

"Lisa Cuddy." She smiled and shook John Crawford's hand. Her eyes made contact with his before quickly looking towards Tritter. The detective seemed to have been caught off guard but happily surprised. She became immediately aware of the attractiveness of his smile. Their eye contact ended.

"Well it's very nice to meet you, Lisa. I've known Michael since school and I can honestly say you're the prettiest thing he's ever brought around here."

"John…" Tritter tried to interrupt his friend, his face turning pink.

"It's true. You should bring her by the pub tomorrow night, show her off."

"I don't think-"

"Oh hush. Steph would love to meet the new lady. God knows we've been waiting years for you to move on." Another fun fact thanks to Mr. Crawford. She was beginning to really like this guy.

"Alright we'll go, just stop talking." Tritter was frantically searching for a reason to end the exchange. She found it funny. Impatient customers politely asked John back to the counter and Cuddy didn't think she'd ever seen the detective so happy. Once they were relatively alone, he turned his attention to her. "We don't have to go-"'

"No, it's alright." He gave her a questioning look. "I don't mind and I'm sure you would've accepted if I weren't here."

"You didn't come here to-"

"To what? Pretend to be something I'm not? I hope I am pretending. If not, I'm a wh-"

"You're not." His stern voice surprised her. He was just a foot before her and his eyes were on fire. For a second, she saw his line of vision drop down to her lips. She thought he was going to kiss her. He righted his posture just a moment too late and began to walk down the aisle. The two of them could win a gold medal for running away. It was going to be a long week.

She watched him browse through brand after brand of Nicotine gum.

"Trying to quit?"

An exasperated sigh left his mouth.

"For ten years."

She walked over to particular bran and handed it to him gently.

"I usually suggest this kind to my patients." He smiled.

"Okay. This is it then." He nodded and then halted mid step. His brows frowned as he was visibly contemplating something. "Did you… need or want anything? We've gone to a bunch of places. You haven't said anything."

She couldn't surpass the girlish grin that came across her lips. He was awkwardly cute at times. She shook her head 'no' and started to walk back towards the front of the store. They were a minute away from leaving when she noticed a shelve full of condoms. She made eye contact with him and he saw what she was looking at. He then watched the floor.

"Do you…" She let the question remain unasked.

"If you're… all set." The unspoken phrase was that she was on birth control. "I'm all set."

So this was interesting. Interesting and disgusting. She couldn't decide on which one to side with. He didn't want to use a condom. Should she demand on shear principle or accept the request? She was on the pill and he was clean. What the hell was she supposed to say?

"Umm, yeah. I'm all set." By the time the 'vacation' was over, she was certain that her bottom lip would be gone. She was constantly chewing on the plump flesh. Teeth indentations were visible and she wouldn't have even been thinking of this fact expect he was constantly staring at the action. Every time she did it, including that moment, his eyes were watching her.

"Okay." With that, he nodded his head and they approached the counter. Tritter and John went over the details of meeting each other the following night for dinner. The plan sounded awkwardly similar to a double date. Cuddy shivered. This was possibly worse than being his… partner. Although come to think of it, judging by the previous evening, that wasn't exactly a terrible role.

The Dean of Medicine's stomach turned as they walked out of the store and entered the truck. Was she losing her mind? The woman had actually enjoyed what occurred between them. Apparently, something was dreadfully wrong with her. All of this was not what she wanted. She didn't want to be here. She didn't want to be with him. Yet, the images of him on top of her kept plaguing her mind. She couldn't ignore the feelings she had felt at the hands of him. The way her body reacted to him was unavoidable. No one had ever pleased her so generously. No man had ever paid so much attention to what she wanted. Even the arrogant college boy whom had given her her first orgasm in the small confinement of his Michigan University dorm room hadn't set her nerves a blaze as much as the Detective had.

The drive back to the cabin happened in silence. There really didn't have much to talk about. She couldn't even begin to think of how strange the next night's dinner was going to be. More importantly, she couldn't think of what was going to happen that night. The sun slowly setting before them reminded her of what her duties were. When the sun went down… things happened. She was hit with a sudden dose of reality when they pulled up to his second home. The rest of the evening proceeded without her knowledge. Cuddy went on auto-pilot and pretended she was elsewhere. Tritter knew. Well, at least she thought he knew. The detective did not disturb her silence. He cooked for her and ate with her. That was all. They were always a few feet apart but, mentally, miles away. Their minds were in similar la-la lands, however. Work was their common denominator.

When he left to engage in another game of fetch with the dogs outside, she retreated to the bathroom. Taking a moment to wallow in self pity in front of the mirror, Cuddy then took a near scorching hot shower. It was obscenely longer than necessary. The water was her only security blanket. She attempted to wash away the harsh red lines on her stomach. Self inflicted marks were proof of her weakness. She'd been lonely. That was it. Years without human contact had finally gotten to her. That was the only reason she hadn't completely recoiled when Tritter touched her.

Finally stepping out of the tiny sanctuary, Cuddy wrapped herself in a towel and allowed the steamed room to partially dry her skin. The time was then. What she was about to do was why she was there. She guessed it would be better to simply get it over with. The doctor hastily ran the towel along her body, ridding it of all water droplets and then shook her head repeatedly until it was no longer dripping. Glancing at herself in the mirror, Cuddy gulped. This truly was the start of her destruction.

He had bought her a bathrobe. It was baby pink, fluffy, and hung beside his on the linen closet door. She put it on and tried to ignore how soft it was. A gift from him would not be something she'd ever admit to liking. The fact she rubbed her nose against the collar was simply due to an itch. Out of pure curiosity, she went into the bedroom to look at herself in the full length mirror. The robe hugged her body nicely. That was all she would acknowledge. It was a bit short, stopping mid thigh, Cuddy attempted to pull the garment down several times before admitting defeat. It wasn't going to stay on very long anyways. What was the point?

Her hands balled into fists as she slowly made her way out of the room and through the kitchen to the living room. Her bare feet made no noise on the hardwood floor and even Holmes and Watson were unaware of her movements. She wasn't surprised when he failed to notice her as well. He seemed to be wrapped up in a novel when she stood in the room's doorway. Tritter sat comfortably on a cushioned chair, feet propped up on the coffee table and one hand at the back of his neck as he read the marvelous words of Dante Alighieri. She couldn't help but notice that his boots were untied and he was leaning back with a certain relaxation she hadn't ever seen from him.

Cuddy allowed a moment to pass before making her presence known. She took another, more audible, step into the room. He looked up and she watched as his lips parted in awe. She blushed instantly and looked at the floor. The realization of no retreat seemed finally apparent at that moment. His feet shifting made her look up to see him lowering his legs and gently discarding his book onto the table. She saw his Adam's apple bob up and down. He was nervous.

Tritter sat up in an almost military-like straightness. She slowly made her way over to him and was shocked to see that he watched her face as she moved. His eyes did not travel over her curves; they were fixated on her eyes. It intimidated her to no end. The man was constantly making her second guess herself. The doctor met his stare when she was just a foot in front of him. He was breathing through his mouth and she could tell that he was restraining himself. God she hoped he wasn't going to be different from the night before. She hadn't had intercourse in awhile and if he decided to become rough, well quite frankly she didn't want to think of the kind of pain she'd be in.

He initiated progress. His fingers gently grazed the back of her calves and skimmed up her legs to just above her knees. Again, his eyes never left her face. She soon realized that this technique of his wasn't going to work. His attempt to be merciful and unintimidating was in vain. His eyes were like daggers, so concentrated, so intense. She couldn't focus, couldn't pretend for a second she was somewhere else. He needed to look away.

Cuddy placed her hands on his shoulders and Tritter bowed his head when she ran them up to his neck. Mission accomplished. She could feel the tenseness in his muscles as she massaged his skin, fingers delicately pushing aside a gold rope. She felt his hands travel just a bit higher, and she couldn't help but feel adrenaline rush through her in being the dominant in this scenario. Her assumption of power was proved correct when the man moaned. She arched a brow at the sound and a sinister grin made its way onto her face. Yup, she was definitely losing it.

Sometimes, the Dean of Medicine was her own worst enemy. Her confidence was premature. She'd been so happy to possibly have the upper hand that she hadn't taken into account her own nerves. He wasn't the only one whom was out of their element. Flashes of the night before swarmed her brain when he reached for the loose knot of her robe. All of a sudden, he had no want to meet her eyes. However, he didn't seem hell bent on checking her out either. Tritter had an almost delirious stare as he let the cotton between his fingers fall. The robe rested on her shoulders with no support and a tantalizing line of flesh lay before him. Taking control of her emotions, she tried to even up the score. She pulled the tight black t-shirt he wore from his body. He aided the action and when the garment was tossed onto the floor, she was on his lap. She couldn't remember how it happened. One second she was standing, the next she was straddling him and his arms were wrapped around her waist.

A gasp echoed through the room when he brought her down to suck her earlobe into his mouth. Just like the previous evening, he was gentle. The urge to run from him was not overwhelming as he trailed kisses all along her neck and Cuddy was bold enough to shut her eyes and enjoy the feeling of masculine hands pushing her only piece of clothing off her shoulders. His movements paused and she was sure he could feel her jaw tighten as he rested his forehead against her collarbone. He was trying to be kind, she knew that. But in that moment she couldn't have hated him more for it. Why couldn't he just continue on what he was doing? Why did he need approval to take advantage of her? She swallowed her last ounce of pride and lowered her lips to his left shoulder. They placed a chaste, but warm and wet and soft kiss onto his skin.

The detective picked up where he left off in trailing his mouth further down her torso and she remained silent until his tongue swirled around one of her nipples. A whine escaped her as he teased the hardened bud perfectly. It was like his mouth was made of fire. It enclosed on her breast and she thought she was going to faint when he suckled her. Blood rushed to her groin and she could feel her clit swell to match her nipples.

He seemed to be enjoying the act as much as her. His breaths were becoming labored and an almost inaudible whine left his mouth every time he came up for air. The sensations she felt were addictive. She wanted them to never leave her, to always captivate her nerves until there was nothing left. How he could do this to her was unknown. All Cuddy knew was that Detective Tritter could set her body ablaze with just the slightest touch.

At the feel of his teeth gently scraping against her jugular, Cuddy's hips moved on their own accord. Her lower half attempted to grind against him, but the position in which he sat wouldn't allow it. Tritter immediately assessed the problem. In a second, he gingerly half stood, her still in his arms, and scooted them forward. She gasped as he palmed her bottom and pulled her body to press against his own. Her soft breasts rubbed against his hard chest and the bare junction between her legs made contract with the fly of his jeans. He swallowed her moan. His lips met hers in a passionate kiss that nearly sent her over the edge. Her forehead grimaced in restraint as she fought the urge to scream. His tongue glided against hers and she countered his fervor with eagerness. Together, they worked themselves into a frenzy.

Heat swarmed around them. It seemed as though the flames within the fireplace had jumped from the brick confinement to their bodies. Oxygen seemed scarce as his hands glided up her lower back and came forward to stoke her stomach. Their mouths parted with a loud pop and they made eye contact. Both were panting just inches away from one another and Cuddy saw him gulp as his right hand traveled down to her sex. She couldn't look away. It wasn't physically possible in that moment. She was drowning in his eyes and when he grazed her folds, she realized she didn't care. Her face contorted into an expression of defeat as he slid two fingers into her.

"Oh." It was an unintentional whisper as her jaw fell. Her nails dug into his biceps and her eyes screwed shut. She thought he must have known she was on the brink of an orgasm because he kept perfectly still. Not a muscle in his body moved until her eyes lazily opened. He was studying her face.

"Am I hurting you?" She melted. Cuddy shook her head no and decided to forget everything. Her lips latched onto his and she groaned as his fingers began a slow place. She kissed him with all the strength she had. Her body thankful for being treated with such care, it shivered with every stroke of his fingers. Her hands loosened their tight hold of his arms and reached for his neck to pull him closer. Tritter smiled against her mouth.

Shameless sounds came from her throat as the inevitable built inside her. She was rocking against his hand and sucking on his tongue. One would think it was her whom had black mailed him into this vacation. The majority of pleasure was being delivered to her. It was when she realized the hard length beneath her was not his leg, but his dick, that she reached to unbuckle his belt. She broke the kiss to watch her numb fingers fumble and she knew he was watching for her reaction when his free hand aided the action. He didn't continue, simply opened his pants and withdrew his fingers from within her. She whimpered at the loss of contact.

He was giving her time and space, making sure she was completely ready to consummate the deal. Cuddy watched his eyes close as both her hands reached into his jeans. She stopped breathing. He was enormous. Releasing him from the denim confinement, the doctor was met with the largest penis she had ever seen. In both length and girth, the man was more than well endowed. Her mind raced with warning while her clit throbbed in excitement. Either God really hated her or really loved her.

All ten of her fingers ran up and down his length and he groaned. Looking up to see his eyes still shut, Cuddy licked her lips. Her brain sent signals for her to get on with it but she couldn't help admiring the weight in her hands. Not wanting to get caught looking at him, she gripped his cock and inched upwards to hover over him. Tritter's hands came up to rest on her hips and he met her eyes by craning his head backwards. Ever so slowly, she began to guide him into her. Inch by inch he filled her. The two of them were grinding their teeth in order to keep relatively quiet; neither one willing to admit how amazing it felt to be joined. She was only slightly uncomfortable with the way he was stretching her, the sensation of being fucked too enjoyable to dwell on the pain.

To say the least, he seemed rather pleased about their predicament. She could feel his penis twitching against her walls and his jaw seemed to be locked into place. She could tell that he was fighting the urge to explode. When he was entirely within her, she brought her hands up to his face and nipped at his lips. He grunted. It was masculine and sexy and she thought she was going to die when he gently thrust upwards. She grounded down in response and just like that they settled on a rhythm that had their heads spinning.

He didn't just hit that special spot for her, he hit every spot. Given his size, there wasn't anywhere he couldn't please and she loved it. Not long after they started, she was she bouncing on his lap, his head between her breasts. Her nails were racking over any part of his body they could find and his hands were gripping her hips with a force she knew would leave bruises for the next morning. Again and again, he pounded into her and she moaned to let him know not to stop. She didn't care who he was or why she was there. All that mattered was that her entire body was tingling with pleasure and with a few more thrusts, she'd be in heaven.

Just as she was about to come, Tritter's hands slid up her back and to her neck. He took a gentle hold of her nape with one hand and dove the other into her dark locks. She could feel him gripping her hair for dear life as his mouth started placing a thousand kisses to her jaw line. He was whimpering just as embarrassingly as she was. The two control freaks were at a complete loss of control. His face came up to her eyes and Cuddy couldn't help but offer him a reassuring grin. With that, they met for a heated kiss and, together, they came.


	5. five

She was comfortably trapped in a cocoon. It was loving and warm and she was sure she hadn't experienced anything similar since her time in her mother's womb. The moment brought her complete peace. It was short lived. Soon, too soon, the events in which brought her to this state rushed to her mind; Tritter, House's overdose, the deal, sex, everything.

Her spine snapped straight immediately, but she was not jostled. Two strong hands had a careful grip on her hips. She was saved from falling backwards by the very man she wanted to run from. A blush rushed to her cheeks and she avoided his lazy gaze.

"Welcome to the land of the living."

That caught her attention, "I fell asleep?"

He smiled. A real smile. A smile with dimples that she hadn't noticed he had. It was a charming smile. A smile that eased her worries like a sedative.

"More like passed out. "

She offered a shy grin and rolled her eyes, "Sorry."

"Nonsense. There's nothing to be sorry for."

She looked at him strangely then. It never failed to amaze her how different men could become in this setting. The angry grizzly that was Detective Tritter had turned into a life-sized teddy bear. She must have stared too long. A blush came over his face and he cleared his throat in embarrassment. Shifting her slightly, he reached down for her robe and did his best to wrap her in it.

"I won't be heading to bed for awhile so don't wait up."

Readjusting her robe, Cuddy didn't notice that the awkwardness between them had been shattered by their intimacy. Their interaction could even be described as comfortable and when she nodded to his statement it did not seem too odd that his gaze dropped to her mouth. The Dean of Medicine moved not one muscle but when he leaned in to press his lips to hers, she didn't experience her previous feeling of dread.

The kiss was predominantly one sided. Tritter had initiated the contact and it was his lips that moved slowly and sensually over hers. But Cuddy was not completely innocent. It seemed that the detective's pleasure was contagious. As he released a content sigh against her mouth, she couldn't help but kiss back. Maybe she was inexperienced or maybe her taste in men was to blame but she had never been with a man who was so happy to simply be kissed. It forced her to feel things she rather not feel while in the arms of Michael Tritter. Pity and a terrible idea of the two having something in common came to mind in that moment. So much so that she hastily ended the contact.

Out of breath she quipped, "Round two?"

He appeared dazed for a moment. His eyes were half lidded and his lips were still parted. She found it hard to maintain eye contact and then his mask was in place. His face became completely neutral and the happily post coital man from before was gone. Detective Tritter, as he was now, cleared his throat and shook his head politely. Cuddy thought his act impressive until he spoke.

"No," the word was husky and vulnerable. He cleared his throat again with a small, self-conscious grin. "Just a goodnight kiss."

With that, he helped her off his lap, looked away and made himself decent. She gave him privacy and let the dogs follow her down the hall and into the bedroom. She never looked back and she never wished him goodnight.

**.sweetpants. **

The internal conflict complicating her emotions and thoughts was not enough to resist her satisfied body's want for sleep. As a result, morning came much faster than she had hoped. It was similar to the day before, she was well rested, buried under dogs, and could hear the sound of a shower running. If she were being honest with herself, which she wasn't, Cuddy could understand why Tritter held such a fondness for the cabin. It was peaceful and quiet. The exact opposite of what was happening inside her head.

She didn't know what the hell was going on with her but she wanted it to stop. Immediately. Her plan for surviving the week had been to become a robot. Act and not think. Do and not say. Apparently, all that had been washed away with her self-respect. Not only was she thinking constantly, she couldn't seem to keep her mouth shut. Analyzing everything Tritter did and didn't do; speaking to him like he wasn't the worst thing to ever come into her and House's life.

'_And stop right there, Lisa.' _Her and House didn't have a life together. This was just something the romantic deep within her had created. This kind of thinking was what got her into this mess in the first place and she really needed to stop it. It would be the death of her, no doubt. His footsteps ended her inner monologue and on the second day of her negotiation she found no point in feigning sleep.

"Good morning." Dear God, why didn't this man dress in the bathroom? Or at least own larger towels.

"Morning."

"Sleep well?" He was expressing all the cheerfulness of a recently laid male. She almost laughed as he patted the dogs with more excitement than even they were ready for.

"Yes, thank you."

He smiled in return and went on picking his clothes. His lack of bashfulness in getting dressed was unexpected and she blushed when he dropped the towel from his waist. Wanting to look elsewhere, she settled on the jewelry around his neck. As he went to pull up his briefs, a crucifix dangled from its chain and caught the sunlight being let in by a window. It was small and elegant and she was surprised she hadn't noticed it before.

"You're religious?" She hadn't meant for it to be a question. In fact, she hadn't meant for it to come out at all. Her censor was simply gone.

Tritter stood and reached for his jeans. She tried to keep her eyes on his face. Saint or sinner, the man had the body of a god. His expression showed that he was pleased at her willingness to have a conversation. That made one of them.

"Yes." He smiled at her again. He needed to stop doing that. "Not as much as I used to be and definitely not as much as I should be. But yes." Stepping into his pants, he never broke their eye contact. "You?"

"I'm Jewish."

Laughing, he slipped a belt through the loops of the still unbuttoned denim. "I didn't ask if you were Catholic."

"So you're Catholic?"

He nodded pleasantly and when he realized she wasn't going to give up any information he changed the subject. "Would you like something for breakfast?"

She responded with, "Whatever you're having."

His eyebrows rose with humor.

"You'd like a couple of fried eggs, some beans, and a protein shake?" Cuddy's upper lip instantly curled in disgust and he chuckled. "How about some French toast?"

With a quick nod from her, he threw on a fitted white t-shirt and left to start breakfast. He closed the door behind him. She shook her head and looked towards the ceiling for divine aid. When she received none, she settled for a quick request that the next 24 hours would occur smoothly. Only half of her pray would be answered.

The day passed without much occurrence. Tritter tried in vain to get Cuddy to open up. He'd ask questions and tell her a bit about himself. Nothing too personal, but the effort was there. He seemed to be as reserved as Cuddy. Unfortunately for him, this didn't count for anything in her eyes and she fought off her ever present emotion of guilt because of this. Being cold was not something she was used to outside of board meetings. Nevertheless, Tritter seemed unfazed. He continued to tempt her with conversations slightly more in depth than the weather and his dogs.

When the time came for the two to get ready for their dinner-date, Cuddy had a small incentive as to who Tritter really was. As she lathered in the shower, she thought over all the information that had been given to her. He was two years older than House. His birthday was in October. He had become a detective because his father had been one. Both his parents were dead. He was an only child. His paternal grandfather had built the cabin himself. Nothing disclosed was too personal, too interesting. And yet, she was very interested. He was a puzzle. A very complicated puzzle, and though it was more House's hobby than her own, Cuddy loved puzzles. She just didn't know if she should solve this one.

Afterwards, she snuck a peek out the bathroom door to see what he was wearing. He had changed from his light jeans to a pair of nicer, darker ones and was pulling a black sweater over his t-shirt. When he reached for the cologne that was on his nightstand, he noticed her staring. He turned red almost immediately.

"What?"

She couldn't help but laugh at his sudden shyness.

"I was just seeing what to wear."

He looked down self-consciously. She laughed again.

"I'm going like this. It's just a pub. Nothing fancy."

Cuddy smirked while he rambled and nodded when he finished. Right before she closed the door, he loudly added, "Whatever you wear is fine. You'll look perfect."

She didn't let him see her blush and when she met him a half hour later at the cabin's entrance, she had a hard time meeting his eyes. Though Cuddy had packed the most conservative clothing she owned, the jeans and white sweater she put on still wrapped around her like a second skin. Her hair, try as she might without a flat iron, was in its natural state of uncontrollable curls. _'It looks like you just had a good stooping,' _is what her mother would say if she saw her. To counter that illusion, she tied it back in a low pony tail. Her hope was that Tritter would find the look less than attractive. No such luck. The man couldn't keep his eyes off her.

He even went as far as adding, "I told you so."

She stomped outside to the truck and said nothing until they arrived at The Fish Pub. She snorted at the name when the truck was parked, but her humor died when she saw him look towards entrance with doubt on his face.

"Are you changing your mind?" She sounded almost hopeful.

Clearing his throat, he finally lost the conflicted look in his eyes.

"No. I haven't seen my friends in a long time." He faced her then. "This," he gestured between them, "is the most bizarre thing I have ever done. I'm nervous."

He was telling the truth. The sincerity in his voice was proof and it made her uncomfortable. She nodded while looking out the window.

"Me too." Cuddy hadn't meant to whisper.

Silence fell over them for a moment. Both grew more and more anxious as the seconds ticked by. Tritter appeared beyond shocked when it was her to finally break the ice.

"So how did we meet, Michael?"

His eyebrows shot upwards and his mouth opened.

"Or Mike? Which do you prefer?" He continued to gape so she went on. "Well you can't call me Dr. Cuddy in front of everyone and I'm starting to get annoyed with not calling you anything at all so –"

"Michael." Her face gave nothing away at his interruption.

"In public? Or…"

"Anywhere. I'd like you to call me Michael but if it'd make you more comfortable to address me as Tritter or Detective Tritter at the cabin then that's fine."

"Okay."

"And you?"

"I already introduced myself as Lisa." The fact that she was looking at him like it was the most obvious thing in the world made him roll his eyes.

"I meant privately."

She shrugged, "Everyone calls me Cuddy."

He looked at her oddly, "Cuddy?"

"Yes," Annoyed, she added, "Don't cops call each other by their last names too?"

"Well, yeah but not if you know the person."

"You think because we had sex we know each other? " She was more than slightly offended and it was obvious. Tritter started backtracking.

"What? No! I just – I don't know – I –" He stuttered ridiculously for a few seconds before she put him out of his misery.

"Cuddy's fine. It's what I'm used to. In front of your crowd, you've got a free pass to use my first name. "

His purple face lessened to a bright red and he made to get out of the truck. Cuddy followed suit and took hold of their interaction again.

"So we met a few months ago. You came into the clinic for a checkup and I was your doctor. You asked me to dinner, we hit it off, yada-yada, now we're here."

He nodded his agreement and then they were inside. The entire town was as well. Cuddy hadn't thought much of the full parking lot but apparently this was the area's one and only hang out. Youths of early twenties and senior citizens drank side by side in what was one of the strangest sights Cuddy had ever seen. And just like when the two had gone out before, everyone was looking at them. Without exception, every person they passed stopped mid conversation to get a look at Michael Tritter and his date. She knew he was popular, she just didn't realize to what extent.

Cuddy chose not to analyze the relief she felt when Tritter took her hand and guided her towards the back of the pub. She wasn't a particularly shy person, but the unwanted attention mixed with her new role as an actress was a bit too much. Staying close to him, her anxiety eased and her appearance as his date was verified. _Two birds with one stone, I guess. _Her inner skeptic chose to ignore the warmth she felt with his hand enclosing hers. Now was not the time. In fact, there would never be a good time.

Her mind finally quieted when she spotted John. Mr. and Mrs. Crawford sat together in a booth and looked strangely alike for a married couple but their look was a pleasant one. Both were small, round, and radiated warmth. Their smiles were infectious and the most genuine Cuddy had seen in awhile. Tritter greeted his friend with a handshake and his wife with a kiss on the cheek and a brotherly affection in his eyes.

"Stop stalling, Michael, and introduce me to your lady." Stephanie Crawford's words were blunt but she seemed absolutely delighted to meet Cuddy.

Tritter shook his head while laughing and looked at Cuddy.

"This is Lisa," The name slipped from his lips like a caress. The short, common name sounded long and elegant coming from him and she found that she couldn't look at him any longer. Turning towards the couple, she smiled sincerely and the night began.

**.sweetpants.**

It seemed that being introduced was the only thing needed for Cuddy and Mrs. Crawford. The two hit it off immediately much to their dates' surprise and pleasure. Stephanie was a nurse at the small, local hospital and when she wasn't working, she was chasing after her kids or shopping at high end stores her salary could barely afford. This provided enough material for the two women to chat all through their dinner of bar food. Cuddy's flinch at the mention of children was subtle enough for it to go unnoticed by the Crawfords, but she suspected that Tritter had felt it.

The two were sitting side by side and Cuddy had made it so they were against each other, leaving Tritter to rest his arm on the booth's top behind her. Though she was playing her role a bit too well, it was necessary. John and Stephanie seemed like truly decent people, but Cuddy had been around House long enough to be able to read other people's real intentions. They liked her and they were gradually accepting her, but it was clear that she was under a microscope. For the sake of keeping her word, Cuddy made sure to erase all doubt in their minds.

Tritter seemed appreciative. He was joking and laughing in a way Cuddy would have thought him incapable of less than a week before. And his cheerful mood was infectious. Cuddy's role as his lovely girlfriend became easier and easier to play as she found herself having a good time. They had drinks after dinner and the phony couple relaxed even further. With the exception of when he insinuated sex, Tritter never touched her. In fact, he didn't even enter her personal space unless it was to… well, completely enter her personal space. By his third beer, this was no longer the case. He had constant contact with her. His arm was around her, his hand was on her knee, he held her hand. Whatever was publically appropriate for an attentive partner to do, he did.

"What do ya think, one more round?"

Cuddy was surprised that Tritter directed the question towards her as well as his friends. She was even more surprised at her indifferent shrug to staying out a little longer. It had nothing to do with procrastinating the evening's events. She was enjoying herself. It was strange and probably inappropriate but she was.

She stood with him to help carry back the drinks from the bar and laughed when they were stopped four times to be introduced to her.

"Alright, alright you met her. Now go away." He was laughing and shaking his head and his hand never left the small of her back.

"You are making me a very popular man, Lisa Cuddy," he whispered into her ear and she shivered at his breath tickling her skin.

"Oh I think you have enough popularity all on your own, Detective Tritter."

"So I'm Detective Tritter again, am I?" His face was lowered to be very close to hers as they waited for the bartender to serve them.

"No one's listening, Michael," she was flirting. She was doing it unknowingly and uncontrollably. An inviting smirk made his left eyebrow raise and his lips to lower to hers. She opened her mouth to accept him.

"What can I get for you, Mike?"

Tritter's annoyance at the interruption was very apparent by his expression. The bartender laughed.

"Another round, asshole."

Chuckling, the man behind the bar nodded at Cuddy and went to fetch their order. Returning to reality, Cuddy snapped out of her dreamlike state of before. Her body became rigid and she took a baby step backwards, creating more space between her and Tritter. She avoided his eyes as she did this and didn't comment on the sigh he released.

"I'm gonna run to the bathroom. Will you be okay for a minute?" He spoke with an annoyed tone but Cuddy could tell it was directed at the situation and not her.

"I'll be fine." She offered him a smile that he only half heartedly returned as he left her side. She watched him walk away in a way that mimicked a lover watching her partner. She was pleased to notice people around her watching. _I should've been an actress. _

Cuddy didn't realize until she turned around and nearly ran into someone, that the people were watching the man behind her and not actually her.

"Ah, Tritter's new lady. I've heard so much. You're a doctor, right?"

Turning, Cuddy wondered just how bad speaking to this man would make things. Though she was very much starting to doubt first impressions, she was pretty sure her instincts were correct this time. The scrawny man behind her was tall with piercing eyes and aura of cockiness. She wasn't sure whether to answer him and wait for her drinks or simply walk away.

Glancing towards the restrooms, she figured Tritter would be looking for her soon anyways.

"Yes."

"A fellow healer. It's so nice to meet you." His 'charming' smile wasn't nearly as charming as he thought it was. Cuddy was reminded of a shark. "I'm Brian Anderson, an old friend of Michael's. So what brings you here?"

She blinked and mentally questioned the man's IQ. Raising an eyebrow, she stated obviously, "I'm here with Michael."

He made a show of looking around her. "I don't see him. Why don't you let me buy you a drink?"

"Seriously?"

She gave him a ridiculous look but he just continued eye her covered cleavage. Her table's drinks arrived on a tray and the bartender stated the new man's name in a warning tone. The warning was ignored and when Cuddy went to grab the tray, Anderson stopped her hands with his own.

And then she was up. Her feet literally left the ground as a strong arm wrapped around her waist, lifted her, and then set her back down behind the man responsible. Before her was Tritter's massive body, blocking her from Anderson like a brick wall. His shoulders were up and tense and the veins on the side of his neck were visibly.

He was in Anderson's face. Eye to eye they stood but Tritter's frame was much larger. The doctor was visibly shaken though stubbornness seemed to overrule his inner coward as he continued to stand before the detective.

They had an audience. The entire pub was their audience. The raised bar looked more like a stage in that moment. Cuddy did not feel any stage fright. Her mind was far too busy understanding the scene in front of her. She was trying to figure out a way to fix it. She certainly wasn't getting in between them. Tritter looked ready to kill. Her mind quieted when Tritter spoke.

"I'd of thought you'd be smart enough to stay away from here tonight."

A deaf person could hear the threat. Anderson apparently couldn't.

"And let you walk around here like you own the place? No thanks. Those days are over, Tritter. I –"

"Your days are about to be over, Brian." The words were delivered incredibly low. Only the people closest to the bar could hear. Anderson blinked but that was the only sign of fear. He ignored his few friends who were trying to persuade him to leave. Cuddy remained completely still.

"Well that's no surprise to me. People's days seem to be numbered around you."

A blink in time.

Then Tritter lunged. He used all his power to launch his body towards his enemy. He barely touched the man. The townsmen seemed to predict the detective's outburst and prevented the massacre that was sure to occur. John Crawford was there in a second and was front and center in trying to calm his friend's temper. He pulled Tritter back as much as he could while Anderson made a quick exit from the bar. He got a minute's head start. Tritter broke away from Crawford and made his way to the door just as fast.

Snapping out of her state of shock, Cuddy reached out in an attempt to stop him, but her fingers just grazed his forearm as he dashed past her. She and the Crawfords were the only ones who followed. Leaving the noisy bar for the quiet parking lot was a weird transition. The only sounds Cuddy could recognize were that of her own heartbeat and Tritter's labored breath as he paced. There was absolutely no sign of Brian Anderson.

Tritter paced angrily the length of his truck in the parking lot. Both John and Stephanie Crawford tried to speak and make sense to him, but he wouldn't have it. It seemed as though nothing could release him from his rage. Cuddy attempted to. She took a tentative step in his line of vision but received no response. His eyes were staring blankly, not seeing her or anything else besides his anger.

It was her touch that saved him. She extended her hand and softly touched his forearm. An invisible shiver traveled from his arm to her hand and throughout the rest of her. She had never felt someone else's rage before. It was horrifying and exhilarating at the same time. She had never been attracted to the brutish type. Her taste in men had always favored that of the 'renaissance man.' Strength and power hadn't ever meant much to her. Until now; an electric shock seemed to take over her mind and body and somehow connect them both to him. She took another step forward.

He had stopped his pacing at the feel of her touch, but was still avoiding making eye contact with anyone. His chest rose and fell as he panted his anger. Cuddy was briefly reminded of the night before and gulped. This was really getting out of hand now. Reaching up, she framed his face with her hands. She was almost immediately successful in calming him. His eyes lost their crazed stare as she locked his gaze to hers. The tension visible seeped from his body. Cuddy could do nothing but watched mesmerized by the transformation.

"It's okay. Calm down." She whispered the words to him. Surprising even herself by just how softly she spoke to him.

He nodded his head ever so slightly and leaded further downwards, towards her. She responded in kind by guiding his head to the crook of her neck and wrapping her arms around him. She wondered when the last time this man had been hugged. When he brought his hands to the small of her back and tightened the embrace, she tried to remember the last time she had been held so warmly. Making eye contact with both John and Stephanie, she signaled for them to leave. They were reluctant but quickly realized their friend was in good hands.

Dr. Cuddy and Det. Tritter stood outside with their arms around each other for almost ten minutes. When Tritter did finally withdraw himself from Cuddy's hold, he avoided her eyes. She support this decision by making her way to the passenger's side of his truck almost immediately afterwards. Neither of them was in a rush to acknowledge the lumps that had developed in both of their throats.

The ride back to the cabin was silent and no conversation took place when they returned. Cuddy gave Tritter his space and took it upon herself to let the dogs outside and got ready for bed. He didn't leave the living room. He stubbornly sat by the fireplace watching the flames and drinking scotch. She rolled her eyes at the stupidity of men when she went to check on him.

She knew he had heard her enter the room and could sense her presence as she leaned against the doorway. He didn't acknowledge her however. She thought he may have still been angry but his slouched shoulders suggested otherwise. His expression was of shame rather than rage. Cuddy felt for him then. The feeling was not yet of love or even fondness, but of sympathy. She didn't pity him but she did wish to somehow better his morale. The look on his face was one she couldn't bear to look at any longer and in that moment she gave him something. Something that was what she lacked as well; a companion.

"I've wanted to be a doctor since I was twelve…"


End file.
